New York Sept. 28. 1837 
My dear Mother,
                I have just finished a copy of the letter
which caused you all - according to the one I recd. from 
Prudence three days ago - so much trouble. - I cannot  
but laugh - to think that you should for a moment 
suppose it anything but a joking affair, - + how it was 
possible for a sentence or two? of it so have been read - with=
out its being rightly understood - is beyond my comprehension.
But never mind - it is all fixed right at last - with
you + P - and will be, in the [course?] of him - with the 
folks at Scituate. - At present it is not - for you must 
know that the letter I sent Edward, explaining the 
joke - was _lost_ by Quincy on his way from the post office!
This E. writes me in a letter I recd. from him two or
three days since - and which I answered yesterday. -
T[--d---]’s letter by Mr. Pritchard came to hand
y[loss] - and I feel very much obliged, for her taking
[loss] opportunity to write me and hope that [loss] 
[loss] go unimproved. - These private opportunities [loss]
consider _as clear gain_ I shall write sister soon - [loss]
tell her how glad i was to get hers of 21st inst. - so full
and so good. - It did _me_ good - and well it might. 
must say it was very much like herself. -
   So you wondered at her liking all I said about
Susan?  I do not for I believe it is with P. as she
says. -               I have not dear mother anything partic
ular to write you - but I thought I would send you a copy of 
the _burned_ letter - tho’ I am afraid the “mud” as we yorkers say - 
that has been made about it - will prevent its being amusing.
But then I must say here I am - having room. - I can
give you this comfort. that I am well. - I wish I could
do all I can to eat thanksgiving dinner with you - How
happy the last was - + I trust this coming one will be equally
so.                  I shall see Susan this . - evening - and if she says
‘send my love” - I shall put it down.   _Theirs_ I give
at any rate - to Thadeus + your own self. - Ever your
        affectionate son - George. - 
[in pencil] Susan says do it -        


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- Copy - To be read - with feeling - 
                        New york [Sept.?] 21. 1837
My most estimable friend,
        It was with the liveliest feelings of gratitude - I might say 
not only the liveliest, but the most intense. - that your much flattering +
kind epistle, so replete with good sense, high and enobling [sic] sentiments, magnifi-
cently drawn images, true + genuine eloquence - in short of _all_ that makes 
the heart glad, and causes us to feel - yes to feel - poor miserable worms of a 
day -  that there is something to live for - to die for - and to hope for, - was
received this morning. -
   Would that I had a pen dipped, as yours ever is when writing to me - in 
the sunbeams of poesy, of ancient lore, of classical thoughts = to repay even in the
slightest degree - such transcendent - effusions! - Would that I has a mind to
concern, as I sometimes think I have a heart to feel thoughts, ideas, allusions, views,
sentiments, words, deeds, actions, comparisons, - in a word everything that has a tendency
to lift man about this terrestrial sphere - so that vast, sublime, magnificent, trans=
lucent, ethereal, airy, glistening, glorious, celestial, eternal world - to which all
eyes, all hearts, all souls, all spirits - do, or ought, to lift their eyes, their hearts, 
their souls, their spirits! - But no. - It _was_ impossible - it _is_ impossible- 
it _will be_ impossible!  _Yours_ is the balloon, lifted up amid the clouds - soaring 
aloft in heavenly regions, loosening down from your high eminence , upon the trifling grovel=
=ling things of this earth. - _Men_ alas! at best a poor lump of lead - fit only for this lower
region of useful things - and not asking its fitting even, as it should. - 
Oh my friend - how I rejoice at the intelligance you give me about your dear
Cynthia. -  Glorious triumph of persevering , enduring, never flinching, never fading, soul
absorbing love! - Great was the prize - great was the conquest. - Big was your effort - 
big was your success. - Bigger still your joy - + mine - it was less - So allow me to congrat=
ulate you. - 
 And those delectable sisters of the anglic [sic] Cynthia - are they still unshackled
in heart + hand? - Could I but for a moment think that that fairest of all the
fair creation - excepting only your own dearest, best, most exquisite Hourly companion of your
own fond heart, the admirable Hannah, who has the sublime joy of calling your Cynthia - sister,
could I, I say - but for a moment - yea a twinkle of a moment, think that she would
look on me with a benign smile from those sweet eyes beaming forth all brightness, all
loveliness, from beneath those silken eyelashes, - I would fly on the wings of the wind -
+ prostrate myself at her feet.  So - if you have a spark of true friendship for me -
unworthy me - whose soul, _now_ filled with thoughts, tender and sweet, towards that
ineffable being, - would, if looked upon with kindness, run over with extacy [sic] - do, I pray you
speak a word - even if it is but a whisper - so one who fills my whole mind and
every corner of my heart, with the purest, most disinterested_ love. -
        It grieves me to learn from you that her aged and only parent - so rich in every
thing that makes life a blessing - lies so dangerously ill. -  Thinking of this
makes me feel - deeply feel - the solace I could pour into the tender soul + heart,
of the lovely Hannah - were I but permitted to, by her soul - enrapturing
self - taking from her the cares which some must devolve to her, of
the great wealth which must be her portions, - - my
skill in money matters you know. - 
        And this brings me to the business part of my answer.
I always think of _that_ - when I write the word “money”. -
What a charm in the _word_, - but Oh! what a charm in the
thing itself! -                Oh! - had I but Hannah’s - 
    But I must stop to say how pleased I am with that ar=
rangement you have made about building those stores.  It was first
rate -  It takes you to do the thing genteel - I drive a sharp
trade - after all. -              Well - I don’t know how it is - but 
we _do_ thrive. -  Now that plan of yours + mine - that of
raising bricks - no one else would have thought of it. 
Common minds think only of doing things in the old way. - but
_we_ strike out new ideas, - and witness the consequences. -


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     I am glad to hear that Sally Snipes has caught that
Mr. Snipes by the heart at last. -  She tried hard - so does
lard - sometimes, - but it can be made, if the hog is not all lean
of bone. - How strange that old miss Smith did get that 
Veteran. - I thought his heart was past touching. - it had been robbed
so much. -  I considered it as case - hardened. -  But “there’s
no telling” as my aunt Polly used to say - “what can be done
‘till one tries” - 
                It grieves me to hear that your horse had 
had his tail cropped, - but I suppose it was for the best. - It
is better for the flies any how. - 
        Keep a look out for me, + get those bay creatures we were
talking about. -  I hear that they do their mile in 2 ¾
minutes, + I call that bang up going - don’t you?
        I did not have time in my last to say how thankful
I was to see our old school friend Jo Timpkins. - I should 
not have known him, except by that queer twist of his mouth
that he always had. - He came up to me with the old 
grin - looking as he used to, after a successful expedition
into his friends stores - devouring his sweets - and some of 
his best tarts - a real self satisfied look, - He loved such
things + such ways. -       I gave him a hit of a nut for 
some of his former pranks. - and I laughed - Tom laughed -
so did Sim - so did Jim -and I laughed too - and we all
laughed. -      Our laughter, was turned into a disaster -
shortly after - for 
                I am Wiggins came in,
                In the midst of our grin,
With his monstrous big chin, - 
                And he - the poor fool,
                At Jo threw a rule
                As he used to at school. -
                Cause why? - You will say. -
Thinking that our play.
                Was caused by the way
                He wore his new hat -
                The fool of a brat -
                He cried - “here it goes” -
                And it hit on the nose,
                And then on the toes - 
                Of Jim aforesaid -                
Who sprawling was laid, -
                Who - filled with wrath - said -
But he did not say it - for we would not let him, - for if we had,
he would have fared worse -  I am being big otherwise than in the chin. -
Such fists! - So we all drank each others’ health - + to better luck
 next time - + thought of you also - who we knew always thinks of us over
your liquor. - 
        Excuse these _few_ lines - + believe me your friend + admirer
                                                                        Poh! -


P.S. Don’t I pray - forget my love to Cynthia, Hannah + their younger
sister, the sweet Deborah. - A kind word for the old gentlemen - don’t
forget _that_. -


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[addressed to]


Mrs. Prudence Ward


                Concord,
                        Massa. [sic]